Digital User Research in Korea. Defining Quality Factors for an internet-based Research Tool.

摘要

Participatory design approaches that built on the active engagement of users originated from the Western World. Consequently, their application to the East Asian context bears problems due to cultural barriers. In this paper we identify limiting problems of generative techniques in Korea by analyzing related theories based on cultural dimensions and conducting a pilot research that comprises a qualitative analysis of four exploratory interviews with Koreans from professional industry. Preliminary insights from the pilot research are that the main limitations to generative techniques in Korea are due to five factors: lack of Expressiveness, feeling of Insecurity, desire for Perfection, fear of Losing Face, and lacking Efficiency of the method. We suggest a new method involving an internet-based tool for applying generative techniques. As work-in-progress, we define crucial Quality Factors for such a tool, as well as point out the direction of our future research that is meant to lead us to its development and its implementation.